


a Partridge in a Pear Tree

by carrieevew



Series: Bellarke Christmas [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 21:44:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5431886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrieevew/pseuds/carrieevew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>based on a tumblr prompt: ugly christmas sweaters</p>
            </blockquote>





	a Partridge in a Pear Tree

**Author's Note:**

> title from "12 Days of Christmas" because when i first wrote it, I planned to start a whole series (because i'm very original). sadly, i won't be able to write 12 fics, so i'm just gonna do as much as i can. we'll see how that goes.

This was the sixth time this month that Clarke was wearing _yet another_ ugly but hilarious Christmas sweater and Bellamy finally broke and decided to ask her about them.

They’ve only known each other for about six months, ever since she moved to New York for a job and one night entered his bar, ordered a shot of vodka and the biggest and greasiest dish he had on his menu, and told him to wake her up when it was ready. Bellamy liked to think that he was used to all sorts of _peculiar_ customers so he probably wouldn’t have even remembered her if she didn’t come back to the bar, again and again. He had only thought that for about a month though, back when she would only come in on Wednesdays and Sundays, order the same thing every time and then leave after an hour. She would tell him about the most ridiculous patients she had since they last talked and he’d reciprocate with stories about his drunken clients. Honestly, for that first month he only really considered her to be a nice distraction from all the college students trying to convince him to sell them booze without checking for IDs.

And then one Sunday she didn’t come at all and he kept catching himself looking at the door, hoping she’d be the one to enter whenever they opened. At 3 am he closed the bar for the night and rolled his eyes. Yeah, alright, so he might actually like her. A little.

“I thought you’ve abandoned us after finding a better watering hole” he said to Clarke when she same in next Wednesday, setting a glass of beer in front of her.

“There is no better watering hole. At least not this close to my apartment” she answered and raised the glass in a toast. “There was a benefit at the hospital. Apparently, it’s good to rub a few elbows if I want them to keep me around after my residency is done.” Clarke said in a tone of voice that suggested that she’s heard that one before, ad nauseam.

“Who would’ve thought – being nice to your bosses can help you stay employed. You should write a book, Princess, I’m sure there’s a market for this sort of platitudes.” Bellamy said with a smirk and Clarke raised an eyebrow hearing the nickname.

“You keep calling me that and I’m still not sure if that’s supposed to be a compliment or an insult.” She asked, curious, and pursed her lips a little.

“Oh, Your Royal Highness, how could I ever insult you, Your Grace.” Bellamy deadpanned and Clarke snorted. It was surprisingly cute. “You were wearing your hair braided in a crown when you came in here one day and I still didn’t know your name back then. I had to describe you to Harper somehow so that she could bring you your order.”

“And I’m still not sure if it’s not a jab, you know.” Clarke’s smile grew wider and Bellamy grinned at her with joy. Fine, fine, so he really liked her. A lot.

***

Five months have passed and somehow, Clarke had become an integral part of his life. Which was quite strange, really, since they never actually hanged out outside of the bar. At first she would only come on the nights when her shifts ended in time for dinner. Later, when her schedule changed and she was assigned a night shift instead of afternoon, she started coming in on her evenings off. She would stay longer then and started interacting with his employees, too. Apparently, she was quite gregarious when she wasn’t falling asleep in her food, exhausted after dealing with sick people for 8 hours straight. She even started bringing her colleagues with her and before he knew, his sister was dating Lincoln, a huge paramedic, and Miller was making heart eyes at Monty, a lab technician. They’ve seen each other during an occasional party his sister would throw and Clarke would spend hours in the bar, mostly talking to him or playing darts with the friends that they were now apparently sharing.

Theirs was a strange friendship, though. In the months that they’ve known each other, they’ve managed to share their tragic life stories and get drunk over how much they both sucked at relationships but he still had no idea where she lived. He knew that she barely survived the car crash that killed her father and had scars that would never let her forget that, and yet he has still never been to her place. It just didn’t seem all that important - they were spending plenty of time together, there was no need to follow each other home. Besides, the longer Bellamy stayed in Clarke’s company, the more confused he was getting. She’d called him her friend enough times to convince Bellamy that she’d really considered him one. And she was quickly becoming his best friend as well, only recently, he’d started noticing that she might actually mean even more to him than that. It’s not like he wasn’t attracted to her from the beginning – she was hot and he wasn’t blind but for a little while now, it’s been… shifting. That was the best he could do when describing his own feelings and Octavia kept calling him an idiot, urging him to just pull his head out of his ass and _just make a bloody move_.

But what sort of a move was he supposed to make, if he wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted? Not to mention, he had absolutely no idea if she was even interested. Just because he’s noticed Clarke checking him out didn’t mean there was anything more to it than the fact that she wasn’t blind either. The last thing he wanted was to make things weird and awkward between them. Their friendship was not worth risking because he thought he might have romantic feelings for. So he’s decided to keep his slowly growing crush to himself.

It wasn’t even that hard to just ignore it, at least not until the snow had fallen at the beginning of December and the next day she came into the bar in the fluffiest sweater he’s ever seen. It was dark green and had a Santa’s face on the front with an actual pom-pom hanging from where the Santa’s hat ended. Clarke looked absolutely ridiculous and so adorable that Bellamy felt a fond smile tugging at his lips. Well, at least now he knew how he felt, so there’s that. And he was gone, apparently.

Two weeks have passed and each time he saw Clarke, she was wearing a different sweater. There were Christmas trees and lights, and Rudolphs, and snowmen, and presents, and Bellamy had no idea what to think about that. He’s never pegged her for someone so obsessed with Christmas that she was willing to risk being laughed at by everyone who had laid their eyes on her. But on the other hand, that was the first Christmas they were spending together and Clarke’s always been everything but predictable. She’s never mentioned the sweaters or said anything that indicated any particularly warm feelings towards the holiday and curiosity was slowly getting the best of him.

The day he finally broke, her sweater was bright red with “Ho! Ho! Ho!” written across her chest. He looked at her for a moment longer than usually and when she squinted at him, he said:

“We really need to burn those sweaters. Princess. You’re scaring my customers.”

“Oh, am I?” she said, quirking an eyebrow “and what the hell is wrong with my sweaters?”

“Are you seriously asking me that? You came in yesterday with reindeer’s ass on your back, Princess. I’m gonna lose all my credibility if people find out we’re friends.” He smirked at Clarke and she snorted. Yup, that was still adorable. “Did you lose a bet, or something? Are trying to win one, maybe? Please, tell me there’s some plot or _you’re_ gonna lose your reputation.”

“Those are gifts from Wells, he’s been giving me those for years now.” She huffed a little, apparently trying to sound insulted but it didn't really work, since she couldn't keep a small smile off of her face.

“And does Wells hate you? Did you run over his cat and he’s taking his vengeance? Does he have some sort of blackmail material he’s holding against you and if yes, will you tell me what it is?” Bellamy asked and Clarke laughed in earnest.

“First of all,” she said leaning on the counter and sticking one finger out “if I were being blackmailed, telling you anything would defeat the purpose of protecting myself by wearing those sweaters. And secondly" she added another finger "has it never occurred to you that I might actually like them?”

“No.” Bellamy said flatly. “But clearly I think too highly of you.”

“Fair enough. If you really have to know, it’s fucking cold outside and those are the only really warm clothes that I own.” Clarke said and sighed lightly.

“How is that even possible?!” Bellamy said with shock.

“Oh, come on, I’m from Los Angeles! I’ve spent the last New Year’s Eve on a beach party, not really something that required thick layers of clothing.” She huffed and Bellamy was still looking at her with disbelief. “Besides, I don’t really have time, or quite frankly see the need, to go and buy new ones. They’re cute.”

Bellamy laughed and leaned in front of her on the counter, their faces only a few inches apart.

“We really need to get you out of those clothes.” He said and didn’t really get the innuendo in his words until Clarke’s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline for a second. He was about to swallow his tongue but then she smirked at him.

“Oh, do we now?” Bellamy felt a blush creeping up his neck and stuttered a little.

"Wha--No--That's not--You're--I didn't mean--"

She looked at him like she was considering her next move and then leaned even closer and pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss. She moved away slightly before Bellamy put his hand at the back of her neck and kissed her back. He smiled against her lips.

"Okay, so maybe I did." He said and kissed her again.

**Author's Note:**

> this is the first fic i've published in years, so please, be gentle. also, i'm on tumblr ([carrieeve](http://carrieeve.tumblr.com))


End file.
